BJP slams radio collaring of Indian students of closed US varsity

NEW DELHI - The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday criticized the United States’ decision of making some Indian students of the California-based Tri Valley University (TVU) wear radio collars around their ankles.

The radio collars will electronically monitor their movement and ensure that they do not go underground or missing.

“Students are being treated like cattle. Students are not cattle in a ranch. Students have gone there with self financing, having obtained the legal documents, the visa and the necessary papers are in their hands. And to now be cornered just because the university turns out to be illegal and not registered as per the US laws, I think the students are being denied their fundamental and human rights,” BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said.

Recounting the harassment and racial attacks against Indian students in Australia, the BJP also urged the External Affairs Ministry to play a more proactive role to safeguard interests of students abroad.

“Ministry of External Affairs should also take this matter lot more proactively and ensure that all required assistance is provided to the students whether it is legal or any other form of assistance. Students should be given a choice to continue or come back. Their rights should not be violated at all,” Sitharaman said.

“Earlier, it was Australia, now it US, the Indian External Affairs Ministry should understand the complexity of this problem and take a proactive role,” she added.

About 1,500 Indian students of Tri-Valley University, majority of them from Andhra Pradesh, face deportation after the university was shut on charges of selling student visas. (ANI)